Chyloretroperitoneum with secondary chylothorax after retroperitoneoscopic donor nephrectomy

A 59-year-old woman complained of increasing pain in the left abdomen and of diarrheal symptoms after left-sided retroperitoneoscopic living donor nephrectomy. Computed tomography revealed chyloretroperitoneum. The fluid was drained percutaneously, followed by recurrent drain replacement surgery. Her diet was changed to short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids without success. After onset of dyspnea due to chylothorax, the donor underwent thoracic drainage, fully parenteral therapy, and finally somatostatin application therapy. The postoperative management of severe chylous fistula is difficult. Therefore, we recommend an early start of maximal conservative therapy. Surgical options depend on pain occurrence or mechanical problems.     

Hepatocyte function in a radial-flow bioreactor using a perfluorocarbon oxygen carrier

The aims of this study were, first, to indicate the metabolic activity of hepatocytes in a radial-flow polyurethane foam matrix bioreactor relative to monocultures, and second, to evaluate the effect on the hepatocytes of including a synthetic perfluorocarbon (PFC) oxygen carrier to the recirculating medium. The efficient O2-carrying ability of PFCs may be beneficial to bioreactors employed in stressed cellular environments. Thus, they may also be useful in the treatment of an acute liver failure patient with a bioartificial liver support system (BALSS). Data on the function of three-dimensional (3-D) hepatocyte cultures exposed to emulsified PFCs are lacking. RESULTS: the metabolic functions of the 3-D hepatocyte cultures were improved relative to monocultures. Three-dimensional cultures with and without PFC behaved similarly, and no adverse effects could be detected when PFC was included in the recirculating medium. The addition of PFC significantly improved lidocaine clearance possibly due to the presence of higher O2 tension in the medium. Imaging indicated that large aggregates formed and that seeding had followed flow through the matrix. Simulations indicated first, that the cell numbers used in this study had been insufficient to challenge the bioreactor O2 supply explaining the similarity in performance of the 3-D cultures, and second, that the benefit of adding PFC would be more pronounced at the cell densities likely to be used in a BALSS bioreactor.     

Lipid-lowering drugs and essential omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in patients with coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND AND AIM: There are only little data about the effects of lipid-lowering drugs (LLDs) on the metabolism of essential n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in patients with established coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS AND RESULTS: Male patients with CHD and high cholesterol levels (>6.2 mmol/L) were randomized (double-blind protocol) to receive either simvastatin 20mg (S) or fenofibrate 200mg daily (F) for 3 months. Dietary habits and plasma fatty acids were not different in the two groups at baseline. After treatment, there were significant changes in both the groups for the main n-6 fatty acids, with an increase in arachidonate (from 6.5+/-1.7% of total fatty acids to 7.5+/-2.1, p<0.001 in S and from 6.2+/-1.4 to 6.8+/-1.4, p<0.005 in F) and a decrease in linoleate (from 26.9+/-3.9 to 24.2+/-3.6, p<0.001, and from 27.8+/-3.4 to 26.1+/-4.2, p<0.05, in S and F, respectively). In addition, there was a decrease in two major n-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenate and docosahexanoate, both p<0.05), but only in F. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time in a double-blind randomized study in CHD patients, we report that LLDs significantly alter the metabolism of essential fatty acids that are critically important for the pathogenesis and prevention of CHD. Further studies are urgently needed to examine the effects of higher dosages of statins (as currently proposed to reduce more cholesterol) on these essential fatty acids in the clinical setting and the crucial questions of whether specific dietary intervention (combining low intake of n-6 fatty acids and high intake of n-3 fatty acids) may improve the effectiveness of these drugs.     

Successful use of the new immune-suppressor sirolimus in IPEX (immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome)

IPEX (immune-dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) syndrome is an autoimmune disorder with an often lethal outcome in spite of immunosuppressive therapy. We report the successful use of sirolimus in 3 patients with IPEX. The efficacy of sirolimus is probably due to its different mode of action compared to calcineurin-dependent agents.     

Study of the Degradation of an Epoxy/Amine Resin, 2

Summary: The degradation behaviour of a flexible epoxy/amine resin has been studied. The resin, made of DGEBA and polyether diamine (Jeffamine® D2000) has been submitted to photooxidation, photolysis (in absence of oxygen) and thermooxidation experiments. The nature and the mechanism of formation of the products have been previously reported in the first paper of this series. In this paper, the rate of formation of the degradation products and their distribution within the sample are discussed. The change in the rate of degradation observed after 30 h of irradiation in artificial ageing at λ > 300 nm in the presence of oxygen, measured by ATR‐FTIR and UV‐Vis spectrometries, is explained by a large attenuation of light intensity by the chromophoric photoproducts formed. The photooxidation profiles measured by micro‐FTIR showed a heterogeneous distribution of the photoproducts in the first 250 μm of the exposed surface. The formation of these photoproducts is associated to chain scission reactions. This was clearly evidenced by the decrease of stiffness measured by AFM nanoindentations in the same first 250 μm.

Stiffness profiles measured by AFM nanoindentation of a photooxidised epoxy/amine sample.